GAMES OF THE WEEK: featuring Card Crawl Adventure, PlateUp! and South of the Circle

Title: Card Crawl Adventure

Platform: iOS

Genre: Card game

Price: Free, with in-app purchases

Age rating: N/A

Medieval cards, anyone?

Review by: Imy Brighty-Potts

Stunning 2D comic book-like graphics are paired with a heroic score in this time-passing solitaire game.

With a beat the boss concept attached to a classic Dungeons And Dragons idea, this is a game of choices and adds up to hours of laid-back tactical fun.

With an intense tutorial, it’s easy to get to grips with this game, however, there are at some points too many options, rules and additions, making it a bit over-complicated.

But, if trolls, taverns and tactical play are your thing, this will be a hit.

Skip to the end: An excellent time-passing game with a spooky, medieval twist on classic solitaire games.

Score: 8/10

Title: PlateUp!

Platform: PC

Genre: Casual strategy

Price: £18.99

Age rating: N/A

Chaotic cooking madness

Review by: Elly Rewcastle

This restaurant management game focuses on building your business by improving your equipment, learning new recipes and increasing your speed.

However, if you’re playing solo, rather than gaining achievements by completing service, it feels as if ‘losing’ is the point, if you want to upgrade, and there’s nothing more frustrating and anger inducing.

With friends, playing via online or local co-up with up to three other people, things go a lot smoother, as the layouts of the restaurants allow players to take on roles, whether that’s the speedy chef, champion waiter or pot wash extraordinaire, and soon your food empire will be thriving.

Skip to the end: A chaotic, if clunky, restaurant management game. Great with friends, anger inducing if alone.

Score: 6/10

Title: South of the Circle

Platform: PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One/X|S, PC

Genre: Adventure

Price: Around £10 depending on platform, or free with Apple Arcade

Age rating: PEGI 16

Antarctic survival with an emotional twist.

Review by: Jess Glass

In this stunning story-based game, players take on the role of Cambridge academic Peter, stranded in the Antarctic in the midst of the Cold War.

During his attempts to find help, we discover tantalising glimpses into Peter’s life before disaster struck, including his romance with one of his fellow lecturers.

The story is exceptionally paced and enthralling, making it an easy game to recommend.

While players regularly have to make choices, they largely do not affect the narrative of the story and instead focus on the emotions of the fleshed-out characters.

Though the game may feel like more of a film at times, due to the limited interaction of the player, this hardly matters because of the well-written plot and exceptional voice acting, making the characters feel realistic and fully developed, even with the simplistic graphics.

Skip to the end: A short but sharp story well worth your time.

Score: 7/10